Agreement with Scotts
Plant Health Care PLC
08 October 2004
For immediate release: 8 October 2004
Plant Health Care agrees exclusive global deal with The Scotts Company
Plant Health Care plc ('PHC'), a leading provider of natural products for plants
and soil, announced today that it has entered into an exclusive long-term
agreement for consumer product development and commercialisation with The Scotts
Company. The Scotts Company is the world's leading supplier and marketer of
branded consumer products for lawn and garden care. This is the first
significant agreement PHC has entered into since its flotation on AIM in July.
The focus of the agreement combines PHC's expertise in mychorrhizal fungi and
bacterial ingredients and products with Scotts' expertise in consumer retail
product development. The alliance gives Scotts exclusive consumer rights to use
PHC's proprietary technology and plant products, which have been shown to help
to grow healthier plants. PHC does not expect this arrangement to significantly
impact revenues until at least 2006. The interim time will be devoted to market
research, refining product specifications, and working with retailers to ensure
a successful product launch.
The partnership has the long-term potential to provide gardeners with a wider
array of organic and natural gardening products that also provide strong
performance.
Commenting on the deal, John Brady, CEO of Plant Health Care said: 'This
alliance is testament to the quality of our business, our products and our
reputation as well as the growing movement towards 'green' plant care products.
At the time of our flotation we said we were seeking relationships like this to
help our business grow. We look forward to working with Scotts to determine how
to position our products in the retail marketplace.'
Bob Bernstock, President, North America of Scotts, commented: 'Innovation and
environmental stewardship have always been keys to success and this strategic
alliance reflects that commitment. We look forward to working with PHC as we
explore new alternative products for our consumers.'
For further information please contact:
Plant Health Care plc Tavistock Communications
John Brady, CEO Jeremy Carey/Katy Pratt
Tel: 001 603 525 3702 Tel: 020 7920 3150
Steve Whitcomb Email: kpratt@tavistock.co.uk
Tel: 001 412 826 5488
Notes to Editors
About PHC
Plant Health Care plc ('PHC') is a leading provider of natural products for
plants and soil. Established in 1995 in Pittsburgh (Pennsylvania) in the United
States, PHC currently has approximately 60 employees and has operations in the
US, Mexico, UK and the Netherlands with technical support in Austria. The Group
has two principal operating subsidiaries in the US - PHC Inc (PA) and PHC
Reclamation. The Company listed on the AIM market of the London Stock Exchange
in July 2004.
PHC's products are aimed at the horticulture, agriculture, turf grass,
commercial landscaping, forestry and land reclamation industries and are both
environmentally beneficial and on the whole more cost effective than synthetic
chemical alternatives. Through the commercialisation of these products, PHC is
capitalising on current long-term trends toward natural systems and biological
products for plant care and soil and water management uses.
PHC Reclamation is an environmental and reclamation engineering consulting firm
providing cost effective, biologically based solutions for the reclamation and
restoration of lands disturbed by mining, construction and other activities. PHC
Reclamation was established in 1997 to exploit PHC's products and technology.
About Scotts
Dedicated to a Beautiful World: The Scotts Company, with sales of more than $2
billion, is the world's leading supplier of consumer products for lawn and
garden care, with a full range of products for professional horticulture as
well. The Company owns the industry's most recognized brands. In the U.K.,
Scotts brands include Weedol(R) and Pathclear(R), the top-selling consumer
herbicides; Evergreen(R), the leading lawn fertiliser line; the Levington (R)
line of lawn and garden products; and Miracle-Gro(R). In the U.S., The Company's
Scotts(R), Miracle-Gro (R) and Ortho (R) brands are market leading in their
categories, as is the consumer Roundup(R) brand, with is marketed in North
America and most of Europe exclusively by Scotts and owned by Monsanto. The
company also owns Smith & Hawken, a leading brand of garden inspired products
that includes pottery, watering equipment, gardening tools, outdoor furniture
and live goods. The Company also owns and operates Scotts LawnService(R), a
leading provider of professional lawn service in the United States. For more
information about The Scotts Company, visit the company's web site at
http://www.scotts.com
This information is provided by RNS
The company news service from the London Stock Exchange